How a cave in Norway is helping keep hospitals warm - and the planet cooler

In Moss, Norway - where forests meet fjords - you’ll find one of the most unique facilities in the Lineage network. Built inside a mountain, our Moss cold storage site has always been extraordinary in its design. But now, it’s becoming extraordinary in its impact, too.

Thanks to a collaborative energy project supported by local and national partners such as Statkraft Varme and ENOVA, our site in Moss isn’t just keeping food cold - it’s also helping keep hospitals, offices and homes warm.

A Vision that started early

When the facility first opened back in 2009, the team behind it already had big ambitions. The cooling systems they installed were larger than necessary - on purpose. Why? Because even then, they believed this site could one day support more than just our customers. It could support the community, too.

They imagined a future where waste heat from the refrigeration systems wouldn’t just disappear into the atmosphere - but could be reused to heat nearby buildings, or even power a district cooling network. That future took a little while to arrive. But now, it’s here.

From Insight to Implementation

In 2020, the team in Moss launched an initiative focused on analysing energy consumption patterns, identifying areas for operational improvement and mapping opportunities to increase overall efficiency.

The analysis revealed several high-impact possibilities, including the use of waste heat from the facility to supply clean energy to the local district heating grid. Following continued development and a strong push from the local team, the decision was made in April 2024 to move forward with the full-scale ‘Moss Energy Project’.

The ‘Moss Energy Project’: What’s Included

The project includes a range of upgrades and improvements to both energy generation and infrastructure at the site:

• Solar Power: Selected roof areas have been resurfaced to support the installation of a solar photovoltaic system with a capacity of up to 280 kW peak. This solar energy is expected to help reduce the site’s overall reliance on electricity from the grid.
• CO₂ Refrigeration System: A new CO₂ rack and upgraded evaporators are being installed in the terminal area, improving energy efficiency and integrating with the existing refrigeration infrastructure.
• Advanced Energy Management: A new SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system has been implemented, enabling real-time monitoring and control of energy performance across the site.
• District Heating Integration: In collaboration with Statkraft Varme, a key provider of district heating in Norway, the Moss facility is now connected to the local district heating grid. This enables recovered waste heat to be supplied for use in the wider community.
• Building Heating Efficiency: In addition to feeding into the district grid, lower-temperature waste heat is reused internally to support the heating of the facility - further optimizing energy use on-site.

A Measurable, Positive Impact

With the new systems in place, the Moss facility is expected to recover and reuse approximately 1,3 GWh of heat energy each year. That includes:

• About 800.000 kWh of high-grade waste heat delivered into the district heating grid at 85°C, helping to supply clean energy to the local community - including nearby public buildings and hospitals.
• Around 500.000 kWh of low-grade heat reused on-site to warm the facility.

More Than a Cold Store

The ‘Moss Energy Project’ is about more than energy efficiency. It’s about showing what’s possible when you think long-term and act with purpose. It’s about being a good neighbour. And it’s about turning something as ordinary as a cold storage facility into a force for good.

What started as an oversized cooling system in a cave is now helping hospitals stay warm in the winter - and helping the planet stay a little cooler, too.

And for the team in Moss, this is just the beginning.